Four boxers clash for Tañamor’s slot in Asiad

Four boxers with varying styles but with the same goal are slugging it out for the last berth in the Asian Games as replacement for Harry Tañamor, who was recently dropped from the national squad for his failure to comply with certain regulations of the team.

Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines president Manny Lopez said Albert Pabila, Godfrey Castro, Warlito Parrenas and Froilan Saludar are currently fighting it out for the light-flyweight slot in the Asiad in an elimination put up by ABAP in its training camp in Baguio City.

Tañamor, who won a silver medal in the last Asiad in Busan, South Korea and one of the country’s brightest hopes for the gold in this year’s Asian Games slated Dec.1-15 in Doha, Qatar, was dropped from the RP roster last week after missing the team’s training and stint in the recent Tammer Cup.

The veteran internationalist has since apologized for his misdeed and has rejoined the national training pool in Baguio. However, his exclusion from the Asiad roster is already final.

The elimination, according to Lopez, actually started Friday last week and will last until after the tri-nation tournament currently held in Baguio featuring boxers from Sri Linka, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The tri-nation meet started yesterday and will end on Nov. 15.

"By Nov. 15, we will have a replacement for Harry. That’s our maximum deadline," said Lopez.

ABAP insiders, however, said the lone berth is likely to be disputed by Pabila and Castro.

Pabila, the 21-year-old find from talent-rich Bacolod City, was voted best boxer in the National Juniors, Seniors and Women’s Amateur Boxing Championship held in Panabo, Davao del Norte two years ago.

Castro, on the other hand, is from Cadiz City whose best showing so far is a bronze medal in the Amet Comert Cup in Turkey early this year.

The same sources, however, said Castro might have difficulty meeting the 48-kg limit.

Parennas was with the RP team in last year’s 23rd Southeast Asian Games here while Saludar was a member of the Davao del Norte juniors team that dominated the 2006 National Amateur Boxing Olympic Festival held in Tubod, Lanao del Norte last June.

Tañamor’s replacement will join Violito Payla, Joan Tipon, Anthony Marcial, Genebert Basadre, Delfin Boholst, Wilfredo Lopez and Francis Joven in the RP team out to win its first gold medal in the quadrennial games since the 1994 edition of the meet in Hiroshima. — Dante Navarro